In this Issue
- Profile: Street Culture Kidz
- Canadian CED Network News
- Saskatchewan CED News
- CED Tool
- National CED News
- Job Postings
Profile: Street Culture Kidz Project
Some people might dismiss face painting as child’s play. If you ask the Street Culture Kidz Project (SCK), that’s exactly what it should be. Established in 1997 as a temporary summer project in Regina’s inner city, SCK has developed into an independent non-profit and community development leader. With the goal of helping underserved youth, SCK delivers long-term programs that respond to the needs expressed by the participants themselves. Programs are often arts-based, but are more generally designed to develop employment skills, provide personal support, and encourage community contributions.
Between 25 and 40 youth participate regularly in SCK, while several hundred more pass through their doors every year. The enthusiastic support of its patrons is due to the Project’s unique youth engagement strategies; the Project follows a holistic approach to personal development. Young artists not only participate as entertainers and face artists at community events; they also plan, develop, and implement their own recreational activities.
The creative experience is enhanced by a variety of other skill development programs. These include event co-ordination; yard and building maintenance; and the Odd Job Squad. The Street Culture Catering Service, a recent expansion of the organizations' economic development initiatives, offers young people the chance to learn culinary skills while gaining valuable experience in the food services and marketing industries. While social ventures help to support the Project's many programs, it also gives SCK an opportunity to hire over 40 youth annually, many of whom would otherwise be considered unemployable in traditional labour markets.
“When we look at the young people we serve, we see people with enthusiasm and talent, who only require solid leadership and management," says Project CEO Kim Sutherland. All of the youth who work at Street Culture are paid employees of the organization. For many, this is their first ‘real’ job. For the community, it marks an investment through the tax base that will be repaid 10-fold over the lifetime of the young person who may have, without intervention, continued a cycle of reliance.
SCK understands that personal growth requires long-term personal support. Their Studio provides social connections through drop-in activities, help with homework, and thoughtful discussions. Upon request, staff from Street Culture will support their participants by visiting them in custody facilities and attending court proceedings. For SCK, pallets of paint, and buckets of brushes are powerful tools to provide Saskatchewan’s disenfranchised youth with a safe, confidence-boosting alternative. By nurturing artistic talents, and providing personal support and employment opportunities, SCK is building stronger and safer communities in Regina’s inner city.
For more information:
Kim Sutherland
CEO, Street Culture Kidz
streetculture@sasktel.net
Canadian CED Network News
CCEDNet & SCA Regional Event
Saskatchewan Co-operative Association (SCA) together with the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) is excited to announce an upcoming CCEDNet-SK Regional Event that will take place in the spring of 2011. This one-day event will feature a series of workshops focusing on Community Economic Development and co-operatives. Registration will open in the new year.
If you have any questions please contact Carla, Regional Event Co-ordinator, at 244-3702 or carla.paul@sask.coop
Meet our Members
Saskatchewan Economic Development Association
SEDA is linked directly into the issues of both rural and urban locales in Saskatchewan via our province’s most valuable resource – its people – and their passion and commitment to building a viable future. SEDA has operated successfully for the past twenty five years as the non-profit association for those engaged in community economic development throughout Saskatchewan.
Affinity Credit Union
Affinity Credit Union follows a mandate to add value to the Saskatchewan communities that they serve. Affinity maintains that stronger credit unions can help to create stronger communities. To achieve this, Affinity works in partnership with its members and communities to promote and enhance social and economic development.
CCEDNet on Facebook & YouTube
Looking for more information? Want to stay in the CED loop in between CCEDNet newsletters? Visit CCEDNet's NEW Facebook Fan Page for all the latest updates on CED events, news, and reports from around the country!
You can also subscribe to our growing YouTube Channel for great profiles on CED initiatives and informative talks with CCEDNet staff on community development issues. Our latest addition is an inspiring video which looks at the social and economic benefits of the Winnipeg-based BUILD program.
Saskatchewan CED News
SK Libraries & Government CED Committee
Last year's Government and Public Libraries Forum resulted in the creation of a Community Economic Development Committee with representation from Saskatchewan public libraries and the Ministry of Education. In its first year, the committee has conducted community asset mapping projects and has worked to increase CED education by using public libraries as economic information centres. Going forward, the Committee will be looking at new and innovative ways to strengthen ties with community revitalization initiatives and to make public libraries a hub of economic development resources.
Meet the Intern
Each year, CCEDNet member organizations hire emerging CED leaders for six month internships with the help of the CreateAction Internship Program. There are currently 40 interns working across the country with various CED initiatives, organizations, and programs.
Stephanie Clark - Street Culture Kidz Project
Stephanie is currently working with the Street Culture Project after seven years with the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement and The Students Commission of Canada in Toronto. At these previous placements she managed youth programs, researched youth engagement, worked extensively with children’s rights and the UNCRC, addictions, mental health issues, race, gender, poverty and identity development for youth from diverse life experiences at the municipal, provincial and national level.
Stephanie has worked to organize and deliver training and information workshops, conferences and programs for youth and adults from across the country. She has also worked with organizations to develop their capacity as youth-friendly, engagement based organizations. Her current role in Street Culture is to assist in developing agency and housing policy as Street Culture ventures into the world of emergency housing. She is also a key report and grant writer for the agency as well as a front-line programmer with the youth that participate in the agency.
Give the Gift of Community
This holiday season, choose an alternative gift idea for family and friends that will help shape Saskatoon's future—the Station 20 West gift card. In the spirit of giving, you can support core neighbourhood revitalization and help make Station 20 West a reality. For a minimum $10 donation, tell us who you would like to receive a card and designate your level of support. On your behalf, we send your designated recipient a card, thanking them for their help in building Station 20 West, and in building community.
Order the Station 20 West gift card online
CED Tool
Developed by Enterprising Non-Profits, this toolkit has been designed to help you understand the fundamentals of marketing, and to apply them in your social enterprise. It's divided into four modules, each of which is presented in a video. During each module, you'll be invited to complete exercises, either yourself, or with your team, and a series of worksheets are included to help you. The videos are most useful when viewed in sequence, but you can come back to any or all of them to refresh your memory, or to dive more deeply into some of the exercises.
Click here for all four video modules and an easy-to-use workbook to help you through the exercises.
National CED News
Deconstructing Dinner Podcast
Follow this link for a podcast featuring an interview with Joel Salatin, sustainable farming advocate and author of The Omnivore’s Dilemma. Also included in the episode is a lecture by Judy Rebick, in which she encourages farmers to embrace a bottom-up and community-centred approach to begin better serving consumer needs
Impact! Youth Conference for Sustainability Leadership
This free, bilingual conference is now accepting registrations from university and college students from across the country. In September 2011, 165 students will gather together to explore real sustainability solutions and develop lasting networks with national business and sustainability leaders.
Date & Time: September 15-18, 2011
Location: Guelph, Ontario
More information: Visit the Impact! Website
Non-Profits Making Profits
On May 10, 2010, the Social Enterprise Council of Canada presented the first in a series of webinars entitled "Nonprofits Making Profits: Social Enterprise and Legal Issues in Canada". The webinar put into context the current legal issues surrounding nonprofits and social enterprises, and discussed what types of incorporation structures are currently legal and in use in various parts of Canada. Source: enp December Newsletter
Click here to view the webinar
Tips for Merchandising NGOs
Fairware is a Vancouver-based provider of promotional products that sources social and environmentally responsible products. To satisfy a common customer demand, the company recently published 10 pointers to help non-profits in launching branding strategies. The tips are designed for organizations considering merchandise sales - either directed at end consumers (retail sales) or directed at internal buyers. Source: enp December Newsletter
The 10 tips are available on Fairware’s blog
jobsHere – An Economic Plan for Nova Scotia
The Nova Scotia Government produced the jobsHere report as a roadmap to economic growth in the province. The document cites the need for business innovation and skills development in order to remain competitive in the global market place. More specifically, the report acknowledges the role of that social enterprises must play in ensuring a healthy, sustainable, and prosperous economy, and states that the government will work to improve business environments to foster social enterprises. Source: enp December Newsletter
Click here to download the full report
Social Finance Task Force Report
The Canadian Task Force on Social Finance has called for action to give social enterprises - including co-operatives - greater access to investment capital and a favourable regulatory and tax environment. In its report, the Task Force makes a number of recommendations aimed at strengthening Canada's social enterprise sector. They included the creation of tax incentives for social enterprise investors, expansion of government-sponsored business development programs to include social enterprises and the development of new "bond-like instruments" to channel capital into effective social and environmental interventions.
Click here for the full report
Procurement Policy Across the Pond
As Canada continues to explore multi-bottom line purchasing policies, the United Kingdom has drawn one step closer to adopting a unique public service procurement bill. The British government recently announced that it will support a private member’s bill – the Social Enterprise and Social Value Bill - which will require public sector contracts to factor in social outcomes alongside price and an organisation’s ethical track record. The Bill aims to strengthen the social enterprise business sector and make the concept of 'social value' more relevant and important in the placement and provision of public services. The Bill has passed through its second reading, and is heading to the Committee Stage in the new year.
Job Postings
For the latest CED postings visit the National and Regional job pages on CCEDNet's website
National | AB | SK | MB | North
Positions to post? Send them to breimer@ccednet-rcdec.ca